St Wilfrid of York

Bishop Confessor (c.634 -709)

Saint of the day October 12

St Wilfrid, a native of Northumbria (England), who was to become one of the great men of his age, is best remembered for his part in championing the supreme ecclesiastical authority of Rome. Born of noble stock and educated at the court of King Osway, at Lindisfarne and at Canterbury, he accompanied St Benedict Biscop to Rome as a young man. On his return he founded the monastery of Ripon and, though aged only 24, became its first Abbot. Here he introduced the Benedictine rule, and five years later was ordained priest. At the famous Synod of Whitby, in 664, he was able to persuade the majority to accept for all of England the Roman usage concerning Easter and the tonsure, in preference to the customs which had been introduced by the Scottish monks from lona.

Shortly after, Wilfrid was made Archbishop of York and received his consecration in France. His energetic administration witnessed the founding of a large number of Benedictine monasteries and the further extension of Roman usage and church chant. But when King Egfrid and St Theodore proceeded to divide his archdiocese into three parts, St Wilfrid went in appeal to Rome  the first known instance of an English Prelate’s appeal. He won his case, but upon his return was imprisoned and then exiled by the King. He thus preached the faith for five years in Sussex and Wessex, and there converted King St Ceadwalla. Not until 686, was a reconciliation effected so that he could return to York. He died on 24 April c.709.